AN/ Another short chapter today. I apologize, but I can't seem to stay awake today. I went back and rewatched GoF through H-BP. My original plan was to be a lot harder on Hermione than this chapter suggests. But I am honest enough to admit that most of my dislike of the character comes from J.K. Rowling's comments about her, and from Emma Watson herself, not the way the character is written or portrayed. The scene where Harry comforts Hermione and vice-versa in the owlery pretty much cinched it for me. Ginny and Ron however, are a different story, although I put most of that off on Molly. Also, I checked the wiki to find out where Hermione lived. Turns out she's from Hampstead, which means that odds are that her family is rather wealthy.
"Mum and Dad didn't want us coming today," Ron said sitting down across from Luna and Hermione and next to Neville at Hollybee's, a nice cozy cafe on Southside Diagon Alley. It was a place Harry had told her had been one of his favorites the summer he'd spent here after running away from the Dursleys. She had to admit that it had a nice homey atmosphere, and even the small courtyard that was partially exposed to the street, it felt cozy and quiet.
Hermione nodded her head and said, "I understand. Did you happen to go by Florean Fortescue's?"
"Yeah," Ron said. "It was boarded up tight. "Just a reminder of why Mum is so worried about us coming here. People are disappearing all across the country. People are worried. The only reason she agreed was because you said we might see Harry. She's worried about him."
"Have any of you heard from him?"
"Just a couple of quick owls apologizing for not writing and explaining that he was safe, busy, and studying," Luna said. "The parchment was quite expensive."
"Harry studying?" Ron asked.
"Harry studies," Hermione protested. "It's just his family tries to lock up his things over the summer." Hermione said as she wondered how Ron could claim that he was Harry's best friend and not notice how Harry would devour any book that he thought would give him some practical knowledge—or was about quidditch.
"It's mental if you ask me," Ron said shaking his head. "Nobody but you studies over the summer."
"I've heard a little more," Neville said quietly.
"What?" Ginny nearly demanded. "What did he say to you?"
"He asked me to ask Gran about a few things." He turned to Luna and said, "And you're right. Even Gran commented about the parchment."
"What did he ask you about?" Ginny demanded.
"He wanted to know about the Sacred Twenty-Eight. He also had some questions about Hogwarts and some other stuff," Neville said quietly. Hermione could tell that 'some other stuff' was covering up something, but she chose to wait and ask him about it later.
"What does he want to know about that bunch of snobs?" Ron demanded. Quickly, Ginny kicked him under the table.
Then realizing some mistake, he said, "Sorry."
Neville frowned and said, "Don't worry about it."
"What did he say to you?" Hermione asked Luna.
"About the same. He did ask me a few other things."
"Oh?" Ron asked in surprise. Hermione tried to warn him with a surreptitious yet vigorous shake of her head but as usual he was completely oblivious. "What?"
"About my mum, mainly," Luna replied in a detached voice. "He was very polite, and apologized if it upset me. He was very sweet about the whole thing."
"Now what could that all be about?" Ron asked.
"Ron, why don't you go with me to get our butter beers?" Hermione said standing and grabbing the ginger boy by the arm, not giving him a choice.
"They'll bring them to u..." Ron protested as she forced him from his seat. She caught Ginny shaking her head at her brother.
When they were several feet away from the table, Hermione hissed under her breath, "Don't you understand, Ron? Harry is asking Neville and Luna about their families. What do all three of them have in common?"
"How should I know?" Ron protested.
Hermione resisted the urge to use a technique she'd seen on one of her mum's favorite American shows about a group of Navy crime investigators. "They've all lost a parent in one way or another!" she hissed again. "Something has Harry is missing his family. With Sirius gone, he has to be hurting even more."
"Why didn't he say something?"
"Because you and I have our families," she said. "Luna and Neville don't. He's trying to make a connection to someone other than us."
"Why would he do that?" Ron demanded.
The urge became too great. She couldn't help it. Nearly of its own accord, her arm reached out and slapped him in the back of the head. "Are you really that self-centered? We aren't Harry's only friends."
"Hey!" Ron protested.
"Come on, Ron," she told him dropping the subject. "Let's get the butter beers and get back to the table. I'm worried about Harry."
A few moments later, they were settling back into their table. Ginny was shaking her head and saying, "Dad can't figure it out."
"What?" Hermione asked.
"There's been a lot of scrambling at the Ministry. Delores Umbridge has been transferred to the Centaur Liaison Office."
"Strange place for her, considering recent events," Hermione commented.
Ron snickered and said, "Couldn't happen to a better person." Then turning to Hermione, he added, "The inside joke a the ministry is that being sent to the Centaur Division means you're about to get the sack."
"Really?" Hermione asked. "An undersecretary?"
Ron nodded his head. "There's a whole bunch of stuff that's going on that has even Dad spooked. The goblins are calling in all kinds of overdue loans, collecting collateral, and becoming even more difficult. There's a group in the Wizengamot led by Scaravanger Greengrass who are moving people around all over the Ministry. They're the ones responsible for Umbridge being moved."
"Daphne Greengrass' father?" Hermione asked.
"Grandfather, I believe," Ron said.
"She's a Slytherin. You think this is a move against Dumbledore?"
Ron shook his head. "I don't know. Mum said that Greengrass and his group are sheep. They didn't fight in the last wizarding war on either side. They were also keen on prosecuting anybody on either side that they thought broke the law during the war. And they were very lenient on people who got caught in the middle. They're the reason so many of the witches and wizards could claim to be under the imperious curse and get away. They have no love for You-Know-Who, but they aren't fans of Dumbledore or the Order either."
"Dad says that they've more than tripled Hogwarts's budget this year and have been hiring a lot of witches and wizards from outside the country," Ginny said.
Neville nodded and replied, "Gran says that most of them are muggle-born or half-bloods."
"What does the Quibbler say about it?" Hermione asked Luna.
The blonde delicately put down her butter beer, shrugged and said, "Not a lot. Dad has been covering another lead." She paused, looked around and said, "Did you know that one of the fae titles has been activated?"
"No," Ron said.
"That's the last thing we need," Ginny commented darkly. "We really don't want them to get involved." She nearly spat out the word them.
"Fae? What's wrong with them?" Hermione asked.
"What's wrong with them?" Ron demanded. "Baby stealing for one! They call it fostering, but it's still baby-stealing. They steal human babies and leave one of their own in its place. Then when the baby is an adult they switch them back! And let's not forget trolls are considered fae, and so are goblins, and about half the dark creatures we know about. If you ask me, the American's are welcome to them."
"Then why activate a title?" Hermione asked. "And what does that mean activate a title?"
"It means that a fae lord or lady has entered Britain and claimed an ancestral title that existed prior to the Massacre of the Bells. It has only happened a couple of times in the past two hundred fifty years, and it usually really shakes things up. The last time was during Grindewald's War," Neville said. "Since the American and British government were forced to work together so closely a fae lord was sent to advise Prime Minister Churchill and General Eisenhower," Neville said with far less animosity in his voice.
"You know that most of the Sacred Twenty-Eight bloodlines have fae blood in them, don't you?" Luna asked.
Hermione shook her head. "No. I didn't. What's that got to do with anything?"
"It means that those bloodlines aren't purely human," Ginny nearly spat. "They get all high and mighty about centaurs, and merfolk, but then turn around and marry into some of the most capricious and dangerous magical beings in history. The Malfoy's married veelas, the Greengrasses and Blacks tended to marry fae with a few alfar thrown into the mix, and the Longbottoms married pookas which are a type of fae."
And in a comment that was so out of character for her, Luna shook her head and said, "And the Weasleys?"
"Weasleys are part of the Sacred Twenty-Eight?" Hermione asked.
"Don't remind us," Ron said. "It's a disgusting thing to be proud of."
"That's a matter of taste, Ron," Neville said. "You don't have to be a bigot to appreciate that your family is one of the oldest in the magical world."
"A person doesn't have any control over into which family they are born. It's not something to be proud of," Ginny said. "It's like having red hair. It doesn't mean anything."
Before Hermione could reply, Luna said, "Look, there's Harry. Who is that with him?"
"Better question is what is that with him?" Ron said.
"Oh dear," Luna replied as Hermione turned to look in the direction the blonde had indicated. "Harry!" Luna called out. "Over here!"
Finally sighting her dark-haired friend, she realized why she hadn't noticed him. Gone was his usual jeans, trainers and tee shirt, and in their place was a dark set of slacks, loafers, and a turtleneck. Also his hair was somewhat longer, pulled back into a short ponytail at the nape of his neck and held by what appeared to be a ribbon of black silk. He looked a bit leaner, a bit more vulpine, but even at this distance, she could make out the outline of his scar.
Next to him was a short well dressed man wearing dark slacks and a jacket over a matching shirt. He was much shorter than Harry, with hair so black as it flashed back blue in the summer sunlight. Most remarkably was the set of black cat ears on the top of his head and the long black cat tail trailing behind him that seemed to have a mind of its own.
Both Harry and his companion turned toward their table. Harry began to wave, but the man with him said something and he stopped. Hermione noticed a large ring on Harry's finger. Instead, Harry smiled and changed direction toward their table. The other man smiled and followed.
"Harry, join us?" Neville asked with a sly smile as Hermione launched herself from her seat into Harry's arms.
"Harry! It's good to see you!" she said noticing that he had the faint odor of cedar about him. It smelled good.
The others rose from their chairs to greet their friend with hugs. Hermione noted that Neville simply stood and nodded politely, grinning hugely as Luna joined him with a slight curtsey and giggle.
"What's this all about?" Ron demanded stepping back and noting the change in Harry's clothes. "You look like you raided Malfoy's clothes cupboard!"
"There's no need to get nasty," Harry said. Hermione caught the look of hurt flash across his eyes.
"I for one think it looks good," Hermione said. "It's about time you treated yourself."
"Thanks Hermione," Harry said. Then turning to his companion he went into a very formal mode of speech, "Hermione Granger, Ronald and Genevra , Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, this is my cousin, His Royal Highness Prince Hunter Daire of Feyhold. Your Highness, these are my friends, Ron, Hermione, Luna, and Neville."
"Feyhold?" Ron asked surprised.
"Cousin?" Ginny demanded.
"Cousin," Harry said. "His mother and my mother were sisters."
"I thought your mother's only sister was your Aunt Petunia," Ron said.
The man behind Harry cleared his throat. "It's a pleasure to meet Harry's friends."
Remembering her manners, Hermione along with Neville and Luna quickly curtsied and said, "Your Highness?"
The prince smiled and said, "Yes. But please call me Hunter. It will be far easier than formal titles. The only reason I insisted on Harry using them is he must become accustomed to such things soon. They have no place between friends."
"You didn't answer my question," Ron demanded.
Harry grinned broadly and said, "It turns out that Petunia wasn't my mother's blood-sister. She was her fosterling sister. My mother was originally from Fairy."
"Then it was your title that was activated?" Luna asked.
Harry looked down at the ring on his finger and nodded. "Yes. I'm still getting used to it." He looked over at his cousin and said, "Hunter is trying to help me not make too many mistakes."
"Too many mistakes?" Ron demanded. "What's this all about Harry?"
"It's a long story Ron," Harry said. "I'll be glad to tell you about it later." Then smiling over at the others, he said, "But we're in sort of a hurry. We've got an appointment at Chathamme and Howe."
He stopped for a moment and looked to his cousin for affirmation about something. The other man simply shrugged, and said, "You are lord of the manor."
Harry smiled and said, "You guys have been so good about having me to your home, why don't you come and spend a few days with me at Muriashome?"
"Muriashome? Where's that?" Hermione asked.
"Just outside of Exeter," Harry said reaching into his jacket pocket, and pulling out a small clip. Much to Hermione's surprise he handed each of them a card with an address on it. With a smile, she realized it was closer to Luna and the Weasley's than to her or Neville.
"You're not at your aunt's house?" Ron demanded.
Harry shook his head and said, "No, I'm never going back there. I'm at my house now. Evidently, it's my ancestral home."
"What about the prophecy?" Ginny demanded.
"What about it?
The power the Dark Lord knows not. Your mother's love?" the redhead replied.
"We have it covered," Daire said quickly. Then turning to Harry he said, "We really do need to be on our way, Harry."
Harry gave them a sad look and said, "He's right. But, please, come this weekend?"
"I would be honored, My Lord," Luna said with a giggle.
"Luna, please don't call me that. You of all people, I couldn't handle calling me that."
"I'll be there," Neville said.
'I'm sure I can make it," Hermione replied.
Ron and Ginny looked at each other and frowned. "We'll ask Mum."
"Please do," Harry replied. Then turning to his cousin he said, "I guess we'd better hurry." Turning back he said, "See you later." And then they left.
"That was surprising," Hermione said excitedly, feeling a great sense of joy for her friend finding family he didn't know he had.
"Not really," Luna said.
"Really?" Ginny asked.
"I knew it the moment I saw the changes in him. Did you not notice the points on his ears?" Luna replied.
Ginny nodded. "Don't remind me."
"What's wrong, Ginny?" Hermione asked.
Ginny stood and said, "This is more than I can take right now. Ron, let's go home."
Ron looked at Hermione and said, "Sorry." Then turning to his sister, he said, "Come on." Taking her arm, he turned back to Hermione and whispered, "I'll explain later."
"What was that all about?" Hermione asked Neville as the two Weasleys disappeared down the street.
"I'm not sure, but I think the Weasely's prejudices are showing," Neville said. "Don't get me wrong, I like Ron, but sometimes he and his family can have prejudices as strong as other families. They just take them into the opposite direction. Ron has never been comfortable around non-humans. Just look at the way he reacts to Hagrid. Every time Hagrid is around, Ron tenses up."
"To be fair, sometimes Hagrid doesn't know his own strength," Hermione defended her sort-of boyfriend.
"Just watch him next time," Neville replied. Then looking down at the card, he said, "I'm looking forward to this, I hope Gran lets me go."
"What is Chathamme and Howe?" Hermione asked. "Sounds like a solicitor's office."
"They are," Neville said. "One of the most exclusive in wizarding Britain."
"Wonder what that's all about?"
"I'm sure Harry will let us know in his own time," Luna said quietly.
